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[Page S1879]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA
Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I am leading negotiations on tax and
healthcare issues as part of the third phase of economic relief to help
workers, families, and small businesses. We have been working through
tough issues, and we must do it in short order.
The American people need Congress to put partisan politics aside and
provide them relief as quickly as possible to get the economy turned
around, and we must demand this of ourselves as well.
Our multifaceted approach includes recovery checks to Americans,
enhanced unemployment insurance, and much needed resources for our
healthcare system. This is just one piece of the Senate's comprehensive
package; in other words, there are a lot of other Senators who are
working in separate arenas to accomplish in that area what I am trying
to accomplish through the Finance Committee.
I hope that Democrats and my colleagues in the House of
Representatives will work with us to pass our relief package as quickly
as possible. This requires all hands on deck.
From what I just said, you might draw the conclusion that fighting
this virus pandemic is going to be just a role for the Congress of the
United States, as important as that role is, but also, as you read how
people are responding, we have to thank a lot of private large and
small businesses that we read about that are stepping into this abyss
that we call the pandemic.
While we are wringing our hands--and we all ought to be wringing our
hands--you read about manufacturing plants of different varieties all
over the country converting production to badly needed hospital
supplies and testing supplies. You not only read that in the United
States of America but you also read about President Macron of France
saying that we are in a war-like environment--all joining together to
produce these badly needed hospital supplies and testing supplies. You
read about the German Chancellor calling unemployed people out to help
with harvest because workers who normally come in can't cross borders
there.
So we here in Washington might think the only reaction to the
pandemic we are in is only something we can do in Congress, as
important as that is, but it is also very important that we recognize
that there are a lot of people out there in our private sector doing
what entrepreneurs normally do--coming to the rescue--and they need to
be thanked and recognized as well.
I yield the floor.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
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